Could there be a hidden network beneath Egypt’s most famous monument? A recent radar-based study makes a bold claim, but archaeologists remain unconvinced.
In early 2025, a team of researchers from Italy and Scotland announced the discovery of eight deep vertical structures beneath the Great Pyramid of Giza—one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology, the team suggested that these vertical anomalies could be ancient shafts or tunnels that form part of a massive subterranean complex.
While the claims stirred excitement among fans of ancient mysteries and alternative theories, Egyptologists and scientists are urging the public to approach the findings with caution.
Advanced Radar Imaging Detects Deep Underground Features
Led by Professor Corrado Malanga of the University of Pisa and Filippo Biondi from the University of Strathclyde, the research team used SAR—a high-tech remote sensing method often used in satellite reconnaissance—to scan the Giza Plateau.
According to their report, the radar data revealed a symmetrical grid beneath the pyramid, including eight cylindrical structures stretching approximately 2,100 feet underground. The researchers theorized that these shafts may have been part of an advanced architectural plan—or perhaps even served as ritualistic or symbolic features of the ancient structure.
This story has sparked widespread discussion, echoing similar debates surrounding archaeology and unconfirmed discoveries. It aligns with broader cultural interest in reexamining historical narratives through modern technology (internal link).
Egyptologists React: “Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence”
Egypt’s former Minister of Antiquities, Dr. Zahi Hawass, responded swiftly and sharply, calling the claims “completely wrong” and lacking any “scientific basis.” In an interview with The New Arab, Hawass stated:
“There is no evidence of tunnels or cities under the pyramids. All scientific work conducted here shows nothing like what is being claimed.”
Radar specialists also weighed in. Dr. Lawrence Conyers, an expert in archaeological geophysics at the University of Denver, told The Jerusalem Post that radar signals cannot realistically penetrate 2,100 feet below the surface with clarity.
“This is a huge exaggeration. Radar waves simply don’t reach that far underground with usable resolution.”
Pyramid Mysteries and Popular Misconceptions
The Great Pyramid has long been fertile ground for speculative theories—from ancient aliens to lost civilizations. While most theories fall outside mainstream archaeology, some legitimate surprises have emerged in recent years.
In 2017, the ScanPyramids project used muon tomography to uncover a previously unknown void above the Grand Gallery inside the pyramid. That discovery, unlike the current claim, was peer-reviewed and validated through multiple scientific methods.
This distinction matters. As we’ve explored in our own investigations into science skepticism (internal link), the credibility of extraordinary findings rests on transparency, reproducibility, and scientific review.
What Lies Beneath the Great Pyramid?
Until physical excavations or corroborative studies are done, the claim of eight ancient shafts beneath the Great Pyramid remains speculative. It serves as a reminder of how much we still don’t know about ancient civilizations—but also of the importance of distinguishing between science and pseudoscience.
The story has reignited public fascination with ancient engineering, mirroring interest in historical mysteries across the globe—and here at home, as we reflect on New Orleans’ own hidden histories (internal link).
Keep Your Feet on the Ground (Even at the Pyramids)
The latest claims from the 2025 radar study may capture the imagination, but experts urge patience and skepticism. Until peer-reviewed data and physical verification are available, we’re left with an intriguing—but unverified—hypothesis.
The Great Pyramid continues to stand as a marvel of ancient architecture and engineering, its secrets still tightly held beneath layers of stone—and perhaps, just maybe, something more.
